late 14c., "flow of rhythm in verse or music," from Middle French cadence, from Old Italian cadenza "conclusion of a movement in music," literally "a falling," from Vulgar Latin *cadentia, from neuter plural of Latin cadens, present participle of cadere "to fall," from PIE root *kad- "to lay out, fall or make fall" (see case (n.1)). In 16c., sometimes used literally for "an act of falling." A doublet of chance (n.).